Being a photographer can sometimes be a lonely prospect. Even photographers that often work with people as subjects or on crowded streets will have to put in countless hours alone, editing their work. This fact only makes it even more important for photographers to actively reach out and form communities, if not for the sake of their work then at least for the sake of their social lives and sanity.
A few years after moving to Atlanta I was invited to attend a local photographer meet-up. It would later turn into a monthly meet-up, at least for a little while, and it was easily responsible for one of my biggest periods of growth as a photographer.
This wasn’t necessarily because the meet-up was particularly informative or instructive, but because the environment was refreshing and it was nice to engage with other photographers from different backgrounds in a casual, non-competitive arena. It was akin to being back in a really good class at college, but now you actually have some semblance of what the heck you’re doing.
The group also provided several opportunities that can be difficult to find outside of the classroom. We would have monthly critiques of each other’s work, we’d discuss new software or our old favorite go-to’s, and we even had a couple of guest speakers. Know what you want the group to be before you start it. Don’t let the group vote on it. Democracy is a great thing but often, in situations like this, it just means a muddled message of what you’re trying to achieve. Instead of pleasing everybody you usually just end up with chaos.
Understanding that Photography whether it involves being in the darkroom or the virtual darkroom, you can't be interrupted. But that also can lead to a misunderstanding with those around you. Finding a community were being competitive doesn't mean anything, but you can gather and just hang out or talk.